Azarenka and Djokovic Claim 2013 Australian Open Single’s ...

Azarenka and Djokovic Claim 2013 Australian Open Single’s Title

The Australian Open always presents a fun and exciting Grand Slam tournament to kick off the tennis year, and the 2013 version again gave fans just that. In remarkable fashion, both the 2012 single’s winners were able to defend their titles and win again.

Novak Djokovic celebrates after defeating Spain’s David Ferrer in their Aussie Open semifinal. | ANDREW BROWNBILL/AP

Novak Djokovic extended his Australian Open dominance to three successive years and also established a sizable lead over Andy Murray in their growing rivalry. Djokovic has been a formidable opponent in the “land down under” and is rightfully the number one ranked tennis player in the world. For Djokovic, he will certainly be pleased with his success but will have to look ahead to continuing his great play in preparation for the upcoming French Open, a tournament that he has yet to win that utilizes a slippery clay surface. Look at Djokovic’s nice jig after securing victory:

And for those that haven’t seen it, here’s an incredible video of Djokovic mocking his fellow tennis pro’s:

For Andy Murray, the pain of a final defeat will surely sting, but he has shown grit and effort in the tournament. He defeated steely veteran Roger Federer in a grueling 5 set match in the semifinals, and was clearly worn down and exhausted by the end of the final match. Apparently he had a nasty bout of foot blisters, in addition to a day less of rest. Murray played well in the early goings and did manage to win the first set, but pain and fatigue limited his ability to compete further in the match.

Victoria Azarenka reacted after winning the Australian Open singles title on Saturday. | Dennis Sabangan/European Pressphoto Agency

The Women’s single’s final was also slighted because of strain and injuries to one player. Victoria Azarenka of Belarus was able to claim the championship over China’s Na Li, who fell over in pain during several moments in the match. She had to tape up her ankle after one fall and suffered a painful bang on the back of her head during another. However, that shouldn’t take away from Azarenka’s impressive display down the stretch and another repeat championship for her. Redfoo, a rapper from the group LMFAO, and one of her biggest fans, leapt with joy at the championship point and surely was proud of his friend’s accomplishment. Apparently, the two have been partying hard since the victory.

Azarenka had drawn heavy criticism following her semifinal victory over Sloane Stephens, where a suspiciously timed injury timeout helped her overcome a shaky situation and regain her footing in the match. Excuses of a panic attack and a rib puncture have been espoused, but there is a general feeling of distrust over why Azarenka had to take a break. I feel like those insults are quite rude from the media, and since Azarenka did still have to go back onto the court and win the match I generally ignore such accusations that she had faked an injury to re-gain her focus. I feel that many in the media were simply hoping for a Stephens victory leading to another young female tennis darling after she managed to beat Serena Williams. Nevertheless, Azarenka cemented her footing as the world’s number 1 ranked female tennis star and surely presents a formidable opponent to anyone else.

With so much intensity and exciting tennis already on display this year, 2013 is definitely shaping up to be a thrill in the tennis world. Let’s see how the year unfolds before us! Follow us on Facebook for more updates!

Nicholas Spiller has enjoyed the sport of tennis for many years.An enthusiast who covers all major sports, he finds tennis to be one of the most pleasant and inspirational games around to watch. He also spends his time as a musician in Los Angeles.